01.109
Core-Pancharatra:Pandu cursed by Kimdama
जनमेजय उवाच॥
Janamejaya said:
कथितो धार्तराष्ट्राणामार्षः सम्भव उत्तमः । अमानुषो मानुषाणां भवता ब्रह्मवित्तम ॥१-१०९-१॥
You have told of the excellent ṛṣi-origin of the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra, which is non-human among men, O knower of Brahman.
नामधेयानि चाप्येषां कथ्यमानानि भागशः । त्वत्तः श्रुतानि मे ब्रह्मन्पाण्डवानां तु कीर्तय ॥१-१०९-२॥
I have heard the names of these told in parts from you, O sage; now recount the Pāṇḍavas.
ते हि सर्वे महात्मानो देवराजपराक्रमाः । त्वयैवांशावतरणे देवभागाः प्रकीर्तिताः ॥१-१०९-३॥
Indeed all of them are great souls with the might of the king of gods; you have declared them to be divine portions in partial descents.
तस्मादिच्छाम्यहं श्रोतुमतिमानुषकर्मणाम् । तेषामाजननं सर्वं वैशम्पायन कीर्तय ॥१-१०९-४॥
Therefore I desire to hear, O Vaiśampāyana, the entire origin of their superhuman deeds; narrate it.
वैशम्पायन उवाच॥
Vaiśampāyana said:
राजा पाण्डुर्महारण्ये मृगव्यालनिषेविते । वने मैथुनकालस्थं ददर्श मृगयूथपम् ॥१-१०९-५॥
King Pāṇḍu, in the great forest frequented by deer and beasts, saw a leader of the deer herd engaged in mating.
ततस्तां च मृगीं तं च रुक्मपुङ्खैः सुपत्रिभिः । निर्बिभेद शरैस्तीक्ष्णैः पाण्डुः पञ्चभिराशुगैः ॥१-१०९-६॥
Then Pāṇḍu pierced both the female deer and him with five swift and sharp arrows adorned with golden feathers.
स च राजन्महातेजा ऋषिपुत्रस्तपोधनः । भार्यया सह तेजस्वी मृगरूपेण सङ्गतः ॥१-१०९-७॥
And he, O king, was a radiant son of a sage, rich in austerity, who had united with his wife in the form of a deer.
संसक्तस्तु तया मृग्या मानुषीमीरयन्गिरम् । क्षणेन पतितो भूमौ विललापाकुलेन्द्रियः ॥१-१०९-८॥
Joined with the female deer, uttering human speech, he fell to the ground in a moment and lamented with distressed senses.
मृग उवाच॥
The deer said:
काममन्युपरीतापि बुद्ध्यङ्गरहितापि च । वर्जयन्ति नृशंसानि पापेष्वभिरता नराः ॥१-१०९-९॥
Even those overpowered by lust and anger, and lacking sound judgment, avoid cruel acts, though they delight in sin.
न विधिं ग्रसते प्रज्ञा प्रज्ञां तु ग्रसते विधिः । विधिपर्यागतानर्थान्प्रज्ञा न प्रतिपद्यते ॥१-१०९-१०॥
Wisdom does not consume fate, but fate consumes wisdom. Wisdom cannot withstand misfortunes brought by fate.
शश्वद्धर्मात्मनां मुख्ये कुले जातस्य भारत । कामलोभाभिभूतस्य कथं ते चलिता मतिः ॥१-१०९-११॥
O Bhārata, born in a noble line of ever-righteous men, how has your mind been shaken, overpowered by desire and greed?
पाण्डुरुवाच॥
Pāṇḍu said:
शत्रूणां या वधे वृत्तिः सा मृगाणां वधे स्मृता । राज्ञां मृग न मां मोहात्त्वं गर्हयितुमर्हसि ॥१-१०९-१२॥
O deer, For a King, the practice that applies in slaying enemies is also considered proper in hunting deer; you should not reproach me in delusion.
अच्छद्मनामायया च मृगाणां वध इष्यते । स एव धर्मो राज्ञां तु तद्विद्वान्किं नु गर्हसे ॥१-१०९-१३॥
Killing of deer by undeceitful means or even with trickery is accepted; this is the dharma of kings. Being wise, why do you reproach that?
अगस्त्यः सत्रमासीनश्चचार मृगयामृषिः । आरण्यान्सर्वदैवत्यान्मृगान्प्रोक्ष्य महावने ॥१-१०९-१४॥
The sage Agastya, engaged in a sacrificial rite, moved through the great forest for hunting, having consecrated the deer of the forest sacred to all gods.
प्रमाणदृष्टधर्मेण कथमस्मान्विगर्हसे । अगस्त्यस्याभिचारेण युष्माकं वै वपा हुता ॥१-१०९-१५॥
How do you reproach us with a dharma supported by precedent? Your own fat offering was once sacrificed in Agastya’s ritual.
मृग उवाच॥
The deer said:
न रिपून्वै समुद्दिश्य विमुञ्चन्ति पुरा शरान् । रन्ध्र एषां विशेषेण वधकालः प्रशस्यते ॥१-१०९-१६॥
In ancient times, arrows were not loosed at enemies at random; the time of striking was praised only when their vulnerability was manifest.
पाण्डुरुवाच॥
Pāṇḍu said:
प्रमत्तमप्रमत्तं वा विवृतं घ्नन्ति चौजसा । उपायैरिषुभिस्तीक्ष्णैः कस्मान्मृग विगर्हसे ॥१-१०९-१७॥
Whether careless or alert, when exposed they are struck with force and sharp arrows by all means. Why then do you reproach me, O deer?
मृग उवाच॥
The deer said:
नाहं घ्नन्तं मृगान्राजन्विगर्हे आत्मकारणात् । मैथुनं तु प्रतीक्ष्यं मे स्यात्त्वयेहानृशंसतः ॥१-१०९-१८॥
O king, I do not reproach the slaying of deer for personal cause, but during mating it should have been spared — you acted without compassion.
सर्वभूतहिते काले सर्वभूतेप्सिते तथा । को हि विद्वान्मृगं हन्याच्चरन्तं मैथुनं वने ॥ पुरुषार्थफलं कान्तं यत्त्वया वितथं कृतम् ॥१-१०९-१९॥
Who indeed, being wise, would slay a deer engaged in mating in the forest, at a time beneficial and desirable for all beings? You have made false the beloved fruit of human purpose.
पौरवाणामृषीणां च तेषामक्लिष्टकर्मणाम् । वंशे जातस्य कौरव्य नानुरूपमिदं तव ॥१-१०९-२०॥
O Kauravya, born in the lineage of the Pauravas and sages of untainted deeds, this act is not appropriate for you.
नृशंसं कर्म सुमहत्सर्वलोकविगर्हितम् । अस्वर्ग्यमयशस्यं च अधर्मिष्ठं च भारत ॥१-१०९-२१॥
O Bhārata, this cruel act is great, condemned by all, leads not to heaven, brings disgrace, and is utterly unrighteous.
स्त्रीभोगानां विशेषज्ञः शास्त्रधर्मार्थतत्त्ववित् । नार्हस्त्वं सुरसङ्काश कर्तुमस्वर्ग्यमीदृशम् ॥१-१०९-२२॥
You, knower of pleasures and scriptures, and godlike in form, are not worthy of doing such a heaven-barring act.
त्वया नृशंसकर्तारः पापाचाराश्च मानवाः । निग्राह्याः पार्थिवश्रेष्ठ त्रिवर्गपरिवर्जिताः ॥१-१०९-२३॥
O best of kings, men who are cruel and sinful should be restrained by you, being devoid of the three aims of life.
किं कृतं ते नरश्रेष्ठ निघ्नतो मामनागसम् । मुनिं मूलफलाहारं मृगवेषधरं नृप ॥ वसमानमरण्येषु नित्यं शमपरायणम् ॥१-१०९-२४॥
O best of men, what did I, an innocent sage, living on roots and fruits in a deer’s form, devoted to peace in the forest, do to deserve your blow?
त्वयाहं हिंसितो यस्मात्तस्मात्त्वामप्यसंशयम् । द्वयोर्नृशंसकर्तारमवशं काममोहितम् ॥ जीवितान्तकरो भाव एवमेवागमिष्यति ॥१-१०९-२५॥
Because you harmed me, without doubt, a similar cruel fate will come to you, helpless and deluded by desire, ending your life.
अहं हि किंदमो नाम तपसाप्रतिमो मुनिः । व्यपत्रपन्मनुष्याणां मृग्यां मैथुनमाचरम् ॥१-१०९-२६॥
I am the sage named Kiṁdama, unmatched in austerity, who, feeling shame among men, mated in the form of a deer.
मृगो भूत्वा मृगैः सार्धं चरामि गहने वने । न तु ते ब्रह्महत्येयं भविष्यत्यविजानतः ॥ मृगरूपधरं हत्वा मामेवं काममोहितम् ॥१-१०९-२७॥
Having become a deer, I roam with deer in the dense forest. Though unaware, your slaying of me in deer form will not avoid being Brahmanicide, for I was deluded by desire.
अस्य तु त्वं फलं मूढ प्राप्स्यसीदृशमेव हि । प्रियया सह संवासं प्राप्य कामविमोहितः ॥ त्वमप्यस्यामवस्थायां प्रेतलोकं गमिष्यसि ॥१-१०९-२८॥
You, O deluded one, will reap the same result — deluded by desire, in union with your beloved, you will die and go to the world of the dead.
अन्तकाले च संवासं यया गन्तासि कान्तया । प्रेतराजवशं प्राप्तं सर्वभूतदुरत्ययम् ॥ भक्त्या मतिमतां श्रेष्ठ सैव त्वामनुयास्यति ॥१-१०९-२९॥
At your death, you will go with your beloved to the lord of the dead — irresistible to all beings. By her devotion, she alone will follow you, O best of the wise.
वर्तमानः सुखे दुःखं यथाहं प्रापितस्त्वया । तथा सुखं त्वां सम्प्राप्तं दुःखमभ्यागमिष्यति ॥१-१०९-३०॥
As you brought me from happiness into sorrow, so too sorrow will come to you in the midst of your happiness.
वैशम्पायन उवाच॥
Vaiśampāyana said:
एवमुक्त्वा सुदुःखार्तो जीवितात्स व्ययुज्यत । मृगः पाण्डुश्च शोकार्तः क्षणेन समपद्यत ॥१-१०९-३१॥
Having said this, the sorrow-stricken deer gave up his life, and Pāṇḍu too, afflicted by grief, collapsed in a moment.
